Loading an airplane quickly and efficiently isn’t an easy task. It should be, and could be, but the humans involved can’t seem to get with the program. It’s a perennial problem for passengers and airlines alike, because every minute we save loading is a minute spent getting where we’re going. We love this because it means less time dealing with airlines, and airlines love it because it means more time in the air – which is where they make their money.

With this in mind, airlines are spending a lot of time trying to determine the best way to get us into our seats. If you’ve flown with more than one airline, you’ve no doubt noticed the process is far from standard – there are almost as many boarding procedures as there are airlines. This